Kunst & Kitsch

John Hoogsteder was the longest serving expert on Old Master paintings in Tussen Kunst en Kitsch, appearing for over 20 years on this art television program, which is also the longest running show on Dutch television.

Willem Jan Hoogsteder is the current Old Master paintings expert in Tussen Kunst en Kitsch.

For a free valuation of an object, please come to one of the recording days of the show, which are hosted throughout the Netherlands.

Most expensive find everThe most expensive find in Tussen Kunst en Kitsch was the painting Het Kantwerkstertje by Joost van Geel in 2011. It was not easy to value the painting, says John Hoogsteder: “I immediately noticed it was a gem and that it was painted in the 17th century, but I was not sure about the attribution. Theoretically it had everything to be a Metsu, but still I hesitated. During the recordings of Tussen Kunst en Kitsch we are asked to give an expertise very quickly

During the recording days of Tussen Kunst en Kitsch we have to give an expertise very quickly about objects we have never seen before. I told the owner this was an important painting, but that I wanted to do more research first. Finally I found out that at the end of the 19th century, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam had bought a painting that was also once attributed to Metsu, later turning out to be by the artist Joost van Geel. Confirmed also by the remnants of the signature, it could then be established that the Kunst & Kitsch painting is by Joost van Geel.” John Hoogsteder valued the painting at € 250.000 euros.

Pieter Brueghel de JongeDuring TussenKunst en Kitsch recordings in 2009, John Hoogsteder discovered a tondo by Pieter Brueghel de Jonge. The attribution that Hoogsteder had to make on the spot was later confirmed by supportive research. The picture is now on display at Rijksmuseum Twenthe.